Rodney Dangerfield
We are reminded every day of the uncertainty of life. None of us has the guarantee of tomorrow.
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield once entered the hospital to have an operation to replace a heart valve. Knowing the serious nature of the surgery, Dangerfield joked, “If things go right, I’ll be there about a week. And if things don’t go right, I’ll be there about an hour and a half.”
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12.
Joe Castillo
Sand artist Joe Castillo has reached the semifinals of the popular NBC television show America’s Got Talent. He will move on to compete for the grand prize of $1 million.
In the early rounds, Castillo created a series of patriotic images to the tune of God Bless the U.S.A. His performance impressed all three judges—Howie Mandel, Sharon Osbourne and Howard Stern—who voted him on to the next round.
For his next performance, Castillo sculpted some amazing animals on the backdrop of the Earth. The climax was a huge eye that was shedding a tear. When asked about the eye, Castillo said that it belonged to God. The message is that the earth belongs to God. He has entrusted us to take care of it, but we haven’t always done a good job.
Howard Stern called Castillo “an amazing talent” and said, “You really are a guy with a heart…”
Joe Castillo has a heart for Jesus Christ, and he uses his unique talent to bring glory to God. He is using this stage to try to make a difference for God’s kingdom. In his own subtle way, Castillo is pointing people—including some unlikely listeners–toward God.
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”—Colossians 4:5-6.
The lone survivor of a shipwreck was stranded on a deserted island for years. Finally a ship came into view, and the lonely man frantically waved until he got someone’s attention. The ship stopped, and several people got into a smaller boat and came to shore to rescue the stranded man.
“What is this hut behind you?” asked one of the rescuers.
“That’s the house I built to live in”, came the reply.
“And what about that hut up the beach? What is it for?”
“I built that hut to be my church.”
“Oh, I see. Well, what about that hut farther up the beach?”
“Hmmmph!” the man snorted. “That’s where I used to go to church!”
Harmony can indeed be difficult to maintain in the local church. However, the Bible urges us to strive for it. Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
What can you do to promote unity and peace in your church?
The following prayer was written by Ben Cachiaras.
DEAR GOD,
Disturb me. Rouse me from sleepy paths of comfortable faith that too easily become dangerous ruts of safety rather than the adventurous path you have called me to walk with you. Forgive me for focusing more on what I want you to do for “my ministry” and “my life” than what you may want me to do for you and for your kingdom. Help me to remember that your call to me is simply to follow—and that you are on the move always. Push me, Jesus, with the lifting power of your Spirit out of stagnant places I’ve been in. Prod me past the horizons formed by my fear. Give me an attitude that is finally ready to follow you, Jesus, no matter what. I want to go beyond. I really do, Lord. Where you lead me, I will follow. No turning back.
AMEN.
Daniel asked that he not be forced to eat the diet prescribed for the king’s trainees. He preferred vegetables and water. When the king’s official hesitated to go along with this idea, Daniel proposed a test. Just let them try the vegetable and water diet for ten days, and then make an assessment. The official agreed to this, and after only ten days, there was a noticeable improvement in the health of Daniel and his friends. So they were allowed to eat vegetables and drink water as their regular diet. (Daniel 1:1-16).
Mothers should be quick to use this Scripture to encourage their children to eat their vegetables! The Bible says that they are good for you!
We all should take this part of the Bible into serious consideration. It could be said that changing to a healthier diet can naturally bring about noticeable positive changes in as little as ten days. Or we might deduce that perhaps God supernaturally intervenes in the lives of those who try to take care of their bodies and helps them to have better health.
Either way, you will be better off if you try to eat a healthy diet. So be sure to eat your veggies!
Last night a gunman opened fire in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, at the opening of the new Batman movie. Information is still coming in, but as of this moment, 12 people are dead and at least 50 have been injured.
Early reports say that members of the audience were slow to react to the violence because they thought it was part of the entertainment.
The church has been slow to react to the violence that has been perpetrated against our society. We are supposed to be the light that shines and the salt that preserves. But while the church remained seated, more than a tenth of our nation’s population has been aborted, killed in the womb. While the church watches passively, the God-given institution of marriage is being denigrated by people of all sexual preferences. While the church is frozen in place, greedy and lazy people are given money that is taken from hard-working taxpayers.
The church needs to wake up and realize that we are not mere spectators at a movie. We are involved in spiritual warfare. Satan is attacking our nation. He is attacking the American family. He wants to destroy as many lives as he possibly can.
This is no time for slow reactions. It’s time to fight back!
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”—1 Peter 5:8-9.
A four-year-old boy rushed up to his grandfather and said, “Make a sound like a frog, Grandpa!”
“What?!” the old man responded.
“Make a sound like a frog!”
“Now, why in the world would you want me to do that?”
“Because Daddy says when you croak, we’ll have a lot of money!”
Sometimes we spend so much time looking forward to our earthly inheritance that we don’t take time to enjoy the eternal inheritance we have waiting for us.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”—1 Peter 1:3-5.
Most preachers I know have some sort of a hobby. Many play golf. Others hunt or fish. I recently met a preacher who has taken up fencing. That’s right; this man of the cloth is a sword fighter!
I immediately thought of how it could benefit the church if people in the congregation knew that the preacher had this talent. For instance, board meetings would definitely have less conflict and more cooperation if the preacher brought his sword with him!
I suppose it would be more spiritual if we could keep the peace without the threat of weapons. Less exciting maybe–but more spiritual.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”—Matthew 5:9.
I saw a funny T-shirt in Cozumel today. It had a huge 333 at the top. Underneath that number it said: “I’m only half evil.”
Most people think that they aren’t all that bad. They are better than most people they know. Certainly they are good enough that God will have to let them into heaven, right?
They certainly don’t get that idea from Scripture. The Bible plainly says that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Without Jesus we are not even half good; not by a long shot.
However, once we accept Jesus as our Savior, all that changes. God looks upon those who have been redeemed by Jesus in a different light.
Romans 3:23-24 explains this: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Now that would make a great T-shirt!
Bob Russell preached at the Friday morning session at the North American Christian Convention in Orlando. In his sermon, Bob reminded us that the church must not try to become more like the world in an effort to be accepted by the world. The fact that we are not like the world is reason enough to make them hate us. “They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” (1 Peter 4:4).
Russell pointed out that one of the main areas of difference today between the world and the church is concerning the acceptance of gay marriage. From the very beginning, God instituted marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). Jesus reaffirmed God’s definition of marriage when he said, “But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:6-9).
The church’s position on marriage is clearly spelled out in Scripture. The world’s position—while indefensible—is becoming more and more apparent. The world is trying to force its view on the church, and many Christians are showing signs of confusion and weakness.
It has been said that you aren’t really taking a stand against Satan if you are willing to oppose him along the frontline everywhere except the point where his is pushing his main attack. Russell asked the convention attenders, if you can’t take a stand for marriage—the first human institution ordained by God—then what can you stand for?
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”—Ephesians 6:13.
Jesustrek 